Jutanugarn has her eyes on a new championship record at Woburn
THAILAND’S Ariya Jutanugarn opened up a two-shot lead at the Ricoh Women’s British Open after a six-under-par 66 in yesterday’s third round.
The 20-year-old, at 16-under, is closing in on the 19-under Women’s British Open record with 18 holes to play.
She extended her bogey-free run to 33 holes with four birdies in an impressive outward nine of 32 on the Marquess’ Course at Woburn and a controlled 34, picking up two further shots, coming back, saw her overtake South Korea’s Mirim Lee, who led after the first and second rounds.
Lee shot a 69, with just one bogey at the third, and is three clear of American Mo Martin, with Scotland’s Catriona Matthew one further behind after struggling on the back nine to card a 71.
“I feel a lot more comfortable, especially today,” said Jutanugarn, who won three times in four weeks on the LPGA Tour in May after missing out on her first major title two months earlier at the 2016 ANA Inspiration, having held a two-stroke lead with
three holes remaining only to close with a trio of bogeys to finish fourth.
“I think I know how to play under pressure – I have to focus on and focus on what is under my control.”
Jutanugarn has a quirky preshot routine in which she makes herself smile before addressing the ball.
“I really want to try to be relaxed before each shot,” she said.
“I feel whatever it is to make me happy and the easy one is to smile.”
GEORGE DUNCAN ( Windyhill) is the 89th Scottish Amateur Champion.
In a disappointing final – disappointing after the two cracking, semi-finals on Friday – the 21-year-old student at Lincoln Memorial University, Tennessee, beat another US college student, Andrew Burgess (Nairn and Armstrong State University), also 21, by 3&1 in the 36-hole concluding match over Royal Aberdeen’s Balgownie links.
They say that you play your best golf getting to the final rather than when you get there and that was certainly the case today.
Duncan, who was two up after the first 18 holes, was approximately six over par for the 35 played.